After a car accident here in St. Mary’s County, Maryland, injured victims have a legal right to make a claim for compensation. This claim often starts as an insurance claim against the motorist insurance policy of the driver (or other person) responsible for the auto accident. If the case cannot be settled through the insurance claim process, then injured victims can bring personal injury claims in Maryland state courts. One way or the other, victims injured and damaged by the negligence of others here in Maryland can have their rights vindicated.

Typically, it is best to have tough and experienced Maryland car accident attorneys help with your case. Negotiating with insurance company representatives can be difficult, and the legal process is complex. If you have been injured, contact the St. Mary’s County auto accident attorneys here at the Law Office of Robert Castro. Our number is (301) 870-120,0 or use our contact page. We have offices in Waldorf, Maryland.

Compensation for “pain and suffering” is one of the categories of damages that can be recovered by injured victims of a car crash. This sort of compensation is for what the name says: the pain that a victim goes through during and after the accident and the suffering that such pain signifies. Pain and suffering damages are also intended as compensation for the pain and indignities that occur in hospitals and physician procedures that might be necessary for healing and recovery. Physicians and medical staff do their best to minimize pain, but surgeries, blood draws, various forms of testing, etc., can all be painful. Even something as simple as a blood pressure gauge cuff can be painful as it inflates.

In any event, as a category of damages, pain and suffering can be recovered. Typically, the recovery for pain and suffering is directly linked to the severity of the injuries and the number of medical procedures involved. Often, the total amount of medical bills is used as a “proxy” for estimating the amount of money that should be awarded for pain and suffering. Attorneys ask for a multiple of the total medical bills. This is reasonable since a more severe injury is generally more painful and causes more suffering, and, as noted, more medical procedures involve more pain and suffering too.

It should be noted that, under Maryland statutes, pain and suffering are defined as a form of “non-economic” damage. That is, pain and suffering cannot be mathematically quantified in a specific dollar amount. Other categories of non-economic damages include damages for inconvenience, loss of consortium, loss of society, loss of normal life, etc. Under Maryland statutes, the total awarded for non-economic damages is limited — capped — at about $950,000 (as of 2025). The cap is indexed to inflation, so it rises every year or two.

By contrast, there is no limit for economic damages. Economic damages include the aforementioned medical bills, lost wages and lost earnings, costs to repair or replace a damaged vehicle, out-of-pocket expenses for things like car rentals, and more.

Contact Waldorf, MD, Personal Injury Attorney Robert Castro Today

This article has been provided by the Law Office of Robert Castro. For more information or questions, contact our office to speak to an experienced Maryland personal injury lawyer at (301) 870-1200. We are Waldorf, MD, Personal Injury lawyers. Our address is 2670 Crain Highway, Waldorf, MD 20601.